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We categorize stocks into sectors to make it easy to compare companies that have similar business models. When investing, you can choose from stocks within the sectors that interest you. Sectors also make it easier to compare which stocks are making the most money. This helps you make decisions about what your next investments will be. If you are interested in a certain sector but are not ready to invest in a specific company within that sector, you can still participate in sector investing! Seek out lower-risk investments like ETFs and mutual funds that are specifically tied to a sector.
The consumer staples sector includes goods and services that consumers need, regardless of their current financial condition. The category includes companies in the food, beverage, and tobacco industries, as well as household and personal care products. You’ll also find retail companies that specialize in selling staples, such as supermarkets, in this group. U.S. stock market sectors include energy, real estate, financial, health care, and every other key industry. It’s conveniently divided into sectors that group different companies by the types of business they conduct. Companies in the communications services sector are businesses that keep us connected through fixed-line networks or wireless access.
Sector Breakdown Definition and Stock Market Use
If you’re investing in sector funds or ETFs, pay attention to the expense ratio for each fund and balance that against earnings potential. It’s worth noting that real estate is the newest sector to be added to the list. It wasn’t until 2016 that real estate was new trader rich trader officially recognized as its own market sector. Previously, real estate investments had been grouped in with the financials sector on the S&P 500. The financial sector consists of banks, investment funds, insurance companies and real estate firms, among others.
A stock market sector is a high-level grouping of publicly traded businesses that operate within the same general set of industries. Companies in these groups typically have similar characteristics, from business models orbex minimum deposit to products and services, customer bases, cost structures, and margin profiles. When deciding which sectors to invest in, it’s important to consider the basics, such as market capitalization and historical performance.
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List of Industries in the Energy Sector
When the economy climbs, there will be more demand for financial services. Even insurance companies and investment brokers aren’t safe from the effects. A good way to describe the consumer discretionary sector is luxury.
- Wireless, internet, and cable providers are the backbone of this sector.
- Example of companies in this sector includes big names like Microsoft Corporation, Oracle Corp., and Mastercard Inc.
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- It is useful in helping to make informed decisions about what investments to select, especially when there is a desire to manage a portfolio to a specific market weighting.
- Companies in these groups typically have similar characteristics, from business models to products and services, customer bases, cost structures, and margin profiles.
But “green” energy offers the promise of higher returns, although with higher risk. Second, market sectors can be affected differently by market volatility and where the economy is in the business cycle. Financials and real estate, for example, may do better in the early stages of the business cycle versus the later stages.
Opposite of consumer discretionary products, the consumer staples category is made up of those products that people view as needs and that sell no matter how the economy is doing. Included in the consumer staples sector are food, beverages, tobacco, household products, and personal care products. Not only are the sector breakdowns a convenient way to categorize companies in the market, but they also make it easier for investors to ensure they have a well-diversified portfolio. Portfolio diversification is important because it ensures you have exposure to all parts of the stock market. Not all sectors are correlated, meaning when some sectors are doing well, others might be underperforming. The U.S. stock market includes thousands of companies, and it’s easy to get analysis paralysis at the thought of choosing which to invest in.
Consumer Discretionary
Some oil and natural gas stocks are also placed in the materials sector. These companies are usually business-to-business and part of a supply chain. The opposite of the consumer discretionary sector, this sector tends to outperform in recessions when people are focused less on luxury and more on necessity. That’s why consumer staplesare some of the most defensive stocks.
We mentioned earlier that there are 11 sectors in a stock market sectors list. However, you can break those 11 sectors up into 2 categories; webentwickler freiberufler the cyclical and the defensive. Information Technology stocks offer some of the best growth potential but they also come with high risks.
Watch my premarket briefings and scan the market every morning using STT’s built-in scanners. They pretty much cover everything, from consumer goods to heavy industry. Real estate investment trusts like American Tower are also getting into the 5G groove. QCOM has partnered with Swedish telecom Ericsson to develop a 5G network. This has already shot the stock well past all-time highs. Drone technology and unmanned aerial vehicles are what this company does.
As a result, this sector is generally unaffected by macroeconomic weakness or variance in consumers’ financial health. The energy sector is made up of companies that work in energy sources, equipment, and services. Companies in this sector engage in a wide range of products and services, including drilling, energy exploration and production, storage and transportation, marketing, refining, and more.
We’re not even talking about energy producers and traders — they’re in utilities. You have to understand the different sectors in the stock market. And since some of the world’s raw energy is in unstable areas, it’s not uncommon to see a reduction in international supply. The industry can also take a hit when energy prices are falling from a weak economy or a surplus of product. Before fall of 2018, this sector was known as the telecom center.
It includes industries like automobiles, hotels and restaurants. Companies market their products to consumers, and consumers buy those products. While sectors can bounce around from year to year, top to bottom and back again, over the long-term, those big swings even out. The chart shows annual returns for the ten stock market sectors against the S&P 500.
This includes companies that find, drill, and extract the commodity. It also includes the companies that refine the material and companies that provide or manufacturer the equipment used in the refinement process. Companies such as Exxon Mobil and Chevron extract and refine gas, while companies like Kinder Morgan transport fuel to gas stations. Despite that, analysts continue to predict winning sectors for the year ahead. In December, Bank of America forecast that energy and financial stocks would outperform the market in 2022. That would require both sectors to repeat their impressive results from 2021, when energy was No. 1 and financials were third, with a 36 percent return.
Consumer Staples Sector
While a firm may be classified in one area, it often has significant operations in others. So it can be important to see the big picture of what a company does and not get too tied down to the classification. The GICS system is revised from time to time, especially as industries grow and develop.
The 11 Different Stock Market Sectors
Just as each room has specific types of furniture, each sector has certain types of stocks. You wouldn’t put a dining room table in the bathroom, and you wouldn’t lump energy giant ExxonMobil in with a bunch of consumer electronic stocks like Apple . A cyclical super sector is a grouping of market sectors that include Materials, Consumer Discretionary, Financials and Real Estate.